1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for attaching display fixtures to display systems of the type commonly used at trade shows, conventions and in public areas to display goods or offer services for sale. More specifically, this invention relates to clamps used to make connection to vertical supports in such display systems so that horizontal supports, shelves, lights and other display fixtures can be quickly attached to the vertical supports.
2. Description of Related Art
Trade shows and conventions have become an important avenue for introducing new products and services to potential customers. Vendors have a need for a reliable display system that can be quickly assembled and disassembled to establish a display area. A suitable display system is seen in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/325,816, filed Jun. 4, 1999 and assigned to Canfield Industries, Inc. of Bridgeport Conn., the owner of the present invention. The disclosure of that application is incorporated herein by reference.
The display system described therein includes vertical columns having a series of spaced horizontal slots used for attaching horizontal supports, lights, shelves and other display fixtures needed in the display area. Previous methods of making connection to the vertical columns of the display system have not been completely satisfactory. Some methods of attachment have required numerous, separate components to make the attachment. When multiple pieces are used to make the connection, the pieces may become separated after the display system is disassembled, making it difficult to reassemble at a new location.
Prior art attachment devices have also been relatively slow to assemble and connect to the vertical supports. Thus they have not fully met the need for rapid assemblyxe2x80x94which is highly desirable when a display must be reassembled at each new location. Accordingly, previous methods of making connection to the vertical columns of the display system have not met the need for a single interchangeable universal clamp that can be quickly attached by hand and which provides a secure, non-rotating attachment point.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal clamp for a modular display system that can be quickly attached by hand.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal clamp for a modular display system which provides a connection that can be rotated around the axis of a vertical column support and then clamped into positions at a desired angular orientation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a universal clamp for a modular display system that includes threaded connection points located at a fixed orientation to vertical when the clamp is attached.
A further object of the invention is to provide a universal clamp for a modular display system that remains in a single piece when disconnected to reduce the possibility of losing parts when the clamp is not attached and is being transported to another trade show.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a clamp for a modular display system that is universal and can be used for connecting any desired type of display fixture to vertical column supports.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The present invention comprises a universal clamp for attaching display fixtures to a slot in a hollow vertical column support of a modular display system. The clamp includes a body piece having an opening therein, an elongated clamping piece extending through the opening in the body piece, and a clamping actuator.
The clamping piece preferably has threads at one end and an enlarged head at the opposite end. The enlarged head has a dimension in one direction less than a width of the slot in the vertical column support and a dimension in a perpendicular direction greater than the width of the slot in the vertical column support. The clamp is rotated ninety degrees to allow the head of the clamping piece to enter the column through the slot, then turned back ninety degrees to engage the head with the column before clamping.
In the preferred design, the clamping piece is threaded at the opposite end from the head and the clamping actuator is a knob that is threadedly attached to the clamping piece. A non-circular cross section for the opening in the body piece and a corresponding portion of the clamping piece, having a mating non-circular cross section portion, allows the clamping piece to be non-rotatingly engaged by the body piece.
In one aspect of the invention, the body piece includes a face having a ridge formed thereon for engaging the slot in the vertical column support. The ridge prevents rotation of the body piece relative to the vertical column support. In a related aspect of the invention, the body piece includes a curved face, the curved face having a radius of curvature matching a radius of curvature of the vertical column support. Both the curved face and the ridge act to prevent rotation of the body piece about its own axis and to maintain alignment of the clamp with the vertical support.
In one embodiment of the invention, the body piece is substantially cylindrical. Other cross sections for the body piece, such as rectangular or square may also be used. The clamping knob may also be cylindrical.
In the most highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the body piece is provided with one or more connectors, such as threaded openings that allow a display fixture to be attached to the body piece. The clamp holds the connectors at a predetermined orientation relative to the column, preferably vertical, so that the display fixture also maintains a predetermined orientation.